Automatic pile-elevating mechanism for sheet feeders



AV CQPY J w. M. KELLY AUTQMATIC FILE ELEVATING MECHANISM FOR SHEETFEEDERS Original Filed Dec. 7] 1922 31am MCM W nun; I H

a attorneys y w. M. KELLY AUTOMATIC FILE ELEVATIN G MECHANISM FOR SHEETFEEDERS Original Filed Dec. 27. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 24, 192?, v.w. M. KELLY I AUTOMATIC FILE ELE VATING MECHANISM FOR SHEET FEEDERS 4Sheet-Sheet s OriginalFiled Dec, 2m 1922 anucntoz Ma 24,1927. w M KELLY6 9,874

I AUTOMATIC FILE ELEVATING MECHANISMFOR SHEET FEEDERS I OiizinalFiledDeq.27, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 stantially on the line Patented M y 24,1927.

ujNITizo STATES 1,629,874; "PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM m. KELLY, orwns'rrrnnn, nEw-JERsEY.

AuromA rIc PILE-ELEVATING MECHANISM FOR. SHEET FEEDERS.

The pre ent invention relates to sheet- -feeders and more particularlyto the.mech

anismv for automatically raising the pile supporting table so that thetop of the pile is maintained in substantially a constant relation withrespect to the sheet feeding means. 7

The principal aims o'f'the present inven- ,tion are to simplify the pileelevating and controlling mechanism; to provide a more dependablemechanism: to provide one that can be constructed at a lower cost thanhere'- tofore; and to locate the elevating mechanism in combination withthe sheetfeeding device so thatsaid mechanism can be assembled easilyand'will always be readily accessible for adjustment or repairs-.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from thedescription taken in connection with the drawings inwhich- Fig. 1 is aside elevation of a sheet feeder having the present invention,incorporated therewith. and showing in dotted linesthe outline of amachine that the. feeder .sup plies; I V f r Fig. 2 is a top plan Viewof the feeder and elevating mechanism Fig. 3 is a rear view, inelevation, of the top part of the feeder Fig. i is a perspective view ofthe 'mech anism forautomatically elevating .the pile supporting table;

Figs. 5 and 6 aredetail1views. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation takensub7.7 of Fig. 2 illustrating one form of pneumatic sheet feeding means.

Referring to the drawings and more'par? ticularly Fig. 1. the sheetfeeder Sis shown as associated with the machine F to which sheets fromthe pile P ofthe feederare'de livered. The machine F may be--of anytype, for cxample, a...fold ing machine.

As shown in th drawings, thejsh'eet feeder includes a frame-consistingof two' parallel spaced base pieces 10 connected by ithebars 11. Fromthe corners of thefbase thus formed four rods 12 extend upwardly to twoupper side bars 13. These upper bars are held in spaced relation bycertain shafts and transverse members which will be' describedhereinafter. In addition to the upright rods 12 there are twoverticalguide bars 14, one at each side of the frame and connecting the upperand lower frame members 13 and 10 respectlvely. These guides 14 havemount-1 Application filed December 27,'19 22, Serial No. 609,320.RenewedNovember 1B, 1926. I

ed thereon for' vertical adjustment the brackets 15, which support thetable .16 on which the pile P of sheets is carried.

The means for raising and lowering this pile supporting table includes atransverse shaft 18 rotatively mounted in the top frame members 113 and.adjacent said members carrying I the sprocket wheels 19, said sprocketsbeing secured to the shaft so that they rotate therewith. Chains 2Oeachsecured at one end to one o'f'the brackcts 15 pass over thesprockets 19 and thence depend therefrom. When the shaft 18 isrotated-the table will be either raised or lowered through the sprockets19 and chains 20. The present invention is directed more specifically tothe means for automatically ,;rai.sing the table so that the top of'thepile P is maintained, in substantially constant 7 relation to the sheetfeeding means. For this purpose automatic means is provided.

for. rotatingthefshaft 18 to raise the tables As shownin the drawingsand. more particularly Figs. 2 -and 3 the shaft 18 at one end thereof,adjacent a sprocket-19, carries a worm wheel 21 meshing with a worm-21on a shaft 22 extending substantially parallel Qwith 'theadjacent upperframe member13." Thisshaft is supported in the 'bez'irings23 carried by;the frame member 13. arrdat one end adjacent the rear of the framecarries a hand-wheel 24E. Rotation of j this'fwheel 'through the wormand worm wheel will effect raising or lowering of the pi'lefsupportintable. Means is also pros vided forrotati ng the shaft 22-automaticallyto maintain the top of the pileat a substa'ntially/ constant elevationl.Q

For this purpose a member 2fris mounted tofreely turn or rotate on theshaft'2 2, and is prov1ded with an arm 26 having at its free end a camroller 27 adapted to cooperate with the ==,cam' or eccentric 28.Rotation of the cam 28 willefi'ect oscillation of'the arm 26 andtherewith member 25'. "The shaft 22 is rotatedby this lattermembeflthrough a one-way connection, which is shown as ,comprisinga pawlarm 29 rigid withmember g 25 and having pivoted at its free end a 0 pawl30 cooperatingwith a ratchet wheel 31 secured to the shaft 22. f

This means for rotating shaft 22 and thereby elevating the pile isadapted to be" rendered inoperative when the pile is 'sufiicient-l high.Forthis purpose the member 25 is provided withanother arm indicated at 32 and this arm carries a. latch point .33

adapted to cooperate with alatch 34. As shownin Fig. 3,-the end of thelatch is formed with an inclined surface leading up to a notch-'36 whichreceives the point The latch member at is pivoted as at 37 to the framemember 13. This latch is adapted to be turned on its pivot to releasethe .latch point33 and thus permit the cam roller 27 to engage the cam28. In other words, the'latch device constitutes releasa ble meansfor-holding the arm 26 atone end of its movement, that is to say,holding arm 26 and its associated parts inoperative.

Assuming that the point 33 is normally in the notch'36, it is desiredtorelease the latch and permitthe cam roller 27 to engage cam 28 tobeoperated thereby, when the top of the pile falls below a predeterminedlevel.

'For this purpose a feeler 38 is provided adapted to rest on the top ofthe pile of sheets. This feeler is carried by an arm 39 secured to arock shaft 4.-() extending length wise of the mechanism and carried inbearings 4.1 onthe member 13 of the frame, The

- arm 39 is secured to the rock shaft l0 for adjustmentalong the same byany suitable means such as the thumb screw 42.

This provides for adjusting-the arm 39 length wise of the shaft 470 sothat the feele-r 38 may rest at the proper point on the top of the pile.Adjacent the discharge end of the feeding device this rock shaft 10 hasan arm or lever 43secured thereto and the free'end of this arm isconnected by means of a link 44 to the lever or latch-34. It will beobserved that the arrangement is such that when the feeler falls, due tosheets being withdrawn from the top of the pile, the part ofthe latchmember 34 in engagement With the latch point 33 will be lowered. Aftersullicient movement, the point willbe released from the latch 34, thusperniitting the means 'for elevating the pile supporting table to becomeoperative. As the pile is elerated, the feeler 38 will be raised andthrough the connections above described, the latch 34 will be returnedto normal or latching position. Of course. the' latch point 33oscillates back and forth and finally the point of the latch member341will have been elevated suiliciently so that the latch bearings inthe top side members 13. At the.

point 33 will be again retained in the notch end opposite thefcam 28the'shaft 46 may be driven. shown, the sheet feeder is driven from themachine F in any. suitable manner as b a chain 47 drivin thes rocket- 48which through gears 49 and 50 rota ;es the feeding shaft 46. Of coursethe connection is such that the feeding of the sheets is timed with theoperation of the machine F.

-An exhauster-or suction pump (not shown) 56 Which in turn carries anarm 71 actuated by a cam 57 on shaft 46, the'end of the arm being-"heldin contactwith the cam by any suitable means as a spring 71. The valve54 through this mechanism is opened and closed foreach revolution of theshaft 46. a I

The type of feeder referred to is. illustrated more in detail in Fig.7.. It comprises a.

nozzle 72 having communication with the Valve chamber 53. This nozzle isdisposed between the wheels 45 and rests on the inner cylindricalsurfaces of 'theflangesthereof. The flanges of. the wheel are providedwith a series of apertures 7 3 which extend around the periphery of theWheels only a'sufiicient distance to effect movement of the sheet to-the folder or other machine to which the feeder. is delivering. Thenozzle 72 is pro- Vided with two apertures 74 adapted to register withthe apertures 73 inlhe flanges so that when these holes are in registerair is drawn in through the same producing a suction action effective onthe 'top sheet of the pile. To positively lift the top sheet into thefield of this suction effect, a tube 7 5 is provided slidable throughthe nozzle 72 This suction tube is formed with an aperture 76 which isadapted to register at certain times with the interior of the nozzle72'.

The tube is reciprocated to bring the lower end close'to the top' sheetof the pile and to bring the aperture'76 into and out of communicationwith the nozzle, by means of an arm 77 secured to a short shaft" 78carried by the bracket 79 which also supports the chamber 53 andassociated parts.

This.

short shaft 78 is rocked by a cam 80 acting on an arm 81 secured to saidshaft. This 'arm is held in contact with the cam by meanssuch as aspring 82 interposed between the arm and the bracket 79.

The movement of the tube is such that it comes in contact with the topsheet of the pile and because the suction formed therein,

the same time to bring the same positively within the field of action ofthe suction produced through the perforations 73.0f-

' 1 31 is'thus turned. Rotation of this ratchet the wheels 45. l 1

It will be noted that the pile is raised only 'whenarm 26 is swungupwardly and this movement is effected by cam 28. It is important, thatthe pile be not raised during the period when a sheet is being'fedforward. In the present invention this result is attained by locatingcam28 on shaft 46 so that the forwarding of a sheet occurs Wl1ll the arm 26is falling, not when it is,

being raised by the cam. The suction apertures 73 in the wheels arepositioned with respect to, the cam 28 so that the sheets will be fed asstated above.

Then the valve 54 is open, no sheet forwarding operations take placebecause the valve being open, the suction .is broken. Thiseffect isemployed in providing a device for discontinuing the sheet feeding operations, from a remote part of the machine.

Thus at one end, the rock shaft 56 is provided with an arm 58 justinside the-frame member 13 and a dog 59 is pivoted to the free end ofthis arm so that when it is in normal position such as shown in Fig. 1,

'the dog catches on the top of the frame member 13-and. holds the valve54 open. A stop 60 on the arm 58 prevents the dog from swinging to theleft 'as viewed in Fig. 1.

. The dog 59 is normally held to the right, as

viewed in Fig. 1, so that the valve may be periodically opened andclosedand the sheet feeding operations take place. As shown, a rod. 61extends from the dog 59 through a bracket 62 on the machine F. .Theaperture 63 in the bracket for'the rod 61 is shown at Fig. 5, therectangular portion 64 of the CII aperture beingshaped to receive aslabbed off portion of .the rod,'& section of this .slabbed off portionbeing shown in Fig. 6. The remainder of the rod is round in crosssection. The slabbed ofi portion is formed at'such a point that itwillengage with the slot 64 when the dog 59 is retracted. A spring 65 isprovided between the bracket 62 and a collar 66'on the rod. which iscompressed whenthe rod is'held in the slot 64.-

The end oftherod 61fis provided with a knob 67 vto aid in manipulatingthe same, It will be apparent that a mere upward movement of the knob 67will freethe rod from the notch 64 permittqng the spring 65 to forcetherod 61 toward the left, thus moving the dog 59 into itslocking position.

In operation. sheets are successively fed.

off the top-of the pile P by rotation of the 4 wheels 45 of thepneumatic sheet forwarding device.

Asthe top of the pile becomes lowered because of this feeding off of thesheets. the feeler 38 restingon the 'top of the pile is also loweredthusturning rock shaft 40 and releasingpoint 33 of the latch. This permitscam roller 27 to fall into engagement with the rotating cam 28 so thatarm 26 is oscillated and through pawl 30 rachet wheel wheel istransmitted by worm 21 and wo m wheel 21 to the transverse shaft 18which through the chains on sprockets 19 raises the is'claimed as newand desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described,

in combination, a vertically adjustable table adapted to support a pileof sheets, a. shaft-- rotatably supported above said table, meanswhereby rotation of said shaftraises or lowerssaid table, a sheetfeeding shaft in front of said first shaft and having sheet feedingmeans thereon, a third. shaft extending at right angles to the othershafts, means rotatively connecting the first and third shafts, a membermounted for turning movement on said third shaft and adjacent saidsecond shaft, a one-Way motion transmitting device connecting saidmember and third shaft, meanson said second shaft to oscillate saidmember, a rock shaft parallel withsaid third shaft and carrying a feeleradapted to rest on the top of the pile of sheets supported-by saidtable, a releasable latch normally holding said member in one position,and means operated by turning said rock shaft to release saidlatch whenthe feeler falls and return it to normal position when the feeler israised. r

2. In adevice of the character described, in combination, a verticallyadjustable table adapted to support a pile of sheets,, a shaft rotatablymounted above said table, means whereby rotation of' said shaft raisesor low ers said table. a sheet feeding shaft in front of said firstshaft and having sheet feeding means thereon, a third shaft extendingat' right angles to the other shafts. means rotatively connecting thefirst and third shafts. an arm mounted for turning movement on .to beturned by gravity in one direction, a

one-way motion transmitting device connecting'saidarm and third shaft, acam on said second shaft adapted to turn said arm in the directionopposite to that by which it is moved by gravity, a rock shaft parallelwith said third shaft and carrying a feeler adapted to rest on the topof the pile of said third shaft and having sufficient weight I feelerfalls and return it adapted to support a pile of sheets,

,said third mitting device connecting said member and cient weight to beturned by sheets supported by. said table, a releasable latch normallyholding said arm in one po+ sition, and means operated by turning sairock shaft to release said latch when the to normal position when thefeeler is raised.

. 3. In a device of the character described,

in combination, a vertically adjustable table a shaft rotatablysupported above said table, means whereby rotation of said shaft raisesor lowers said table, a sheet feedingshaft in front of said first shaftand having sheet feeding means thereon, a third shaft extending at rightangles to the other shafts, means rotatively connecting the first andthird shafts, a member mounted for-turning movement on shaft, a one-waymotion transth'ird shaft, means to oscillate said member, a rock shaftparallel with said third shaft and carrying a feeler adapted to rest onthe top of the pile of sheets supported by said table, a releasablelatch normally holding said member in one position, and means op eratedby turning said rock shaft to release said latch when the feeler fallsand return it to" normal position when the feeler is raised. 4-. In adevice of the character described,

' in combination, a vertically adjustable table i adapted to support apile of sheets,

rotatively connecting the first and third shafts, an arm mounted forturning movement on said third shaft and having suitigravity in onedirection, a one-way motion transmittin' de vice connecting said arm andthird. s aft, means adapted to turn said arm in the direction' oppositeto that by which it is-move'd bygravity, a rock shaft parallel with saidthird shaft and carrying a feeler adapted to rest on the top of the pileof sheets supported by said table, a releasable latch normally holdingsaid arm in one position, and means operated by turning said. rock shaftto release said latch when the feeler fallsand re turn it to normalposition when the feeler is raised.

. .5. In a device of the,characterdescribed,

in combination, a feed table adapted to support apile of sheets, a shaftmounted above said table, means actuated by said shaft-for raising saidtable, a second shaft mounted in front of said shaft having meansthereon for feeding sheets from said pile, shaft at right angles to saidfirst shaft having means for driving said first shaft, a ratchet on saidthird shaft, a pawl engaging opposite -tation of said shaft of saidshaft raises or a third ea ers said ratchet, a' pivoted said pawl ismounted, means for actuating" said member in the direction in which saidpawl drives said ratchet, gravity actuated means tending to move saidmember in the direction when said actuating means is inactive, a stopnormally opposing said gravity actuated means, a feeler adapted to reston the top of the sheet pile, and means actuated by said feeler forrender ing said stop inoperative when the feeler falls, and returning itto normal position when. the feeler is raised.

member on which 6. In a device of the character described,

in combination, a feed table adapted to sup port a pile of sheets, ashaft rotatably supported above said table, means whereby roraises orlowers said table, a sheet feeding shaft in. front of said first shaftand having sleet feeding means thereon, a third shaft extending at rightangles to said firstflslia'ft, having a rotary connection therewith,afeeler adapted to rest on the top of the pile of sheets. on said table,means for actua .ng said third shaft step by step in one direction whensaid feeler is below a predetermined level, and means controlled by saidfeeler for rendering said third shaft actuating means inoperative whenthe feeler is raised above the predetermined level.

7. In a device of the character described,

'shaft parallel to said first shaftvmounted in also above said table havfront thereof and ing means thereon for feeding sheets one by one fromsaid pile, a third shaft at right angles to said shafts above the planeof said first shaft and having a worm thereon meshing with a worm wheelon said first shaft, a

ratchet 0n saidthird shaft, a member piv.

oted adjacent said ratchet. having a pawl thereon adapted to engagesaidratchet, said member being weighted so as to tend to swing about itspivot in the direction in which said pawl clicks over said ratchetwithout driving it, reciprocating meanstending to drive said member intheopposite direction, a stop for preventing the gravitationalaction ofsaid member, a rock shaft having a feeler adaptedt'o rest on the top ofsaid pile of sheets, and means whereby said rockshaft releases said stopwhen said feeler falls below a predetermined level, and restores saidstep when the feeler again rises to the desired level,

signature.

WILLIAM M. KELLY.

